Good morning to all! It's May Day!!!
And guess what????????? It's raining...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
What else is new huh?
Going to our friends' Spring Fling over in Verona. Will probably pick up a few plants I DON'T need..but she always has such neat things! Maybe I'll find some other things I don't need too!! It's an antique place too.
More fun that sitting in the gloom that we call New Madison!! LOL!
I hope you all have a great day..whatever you do!

Weekend was busy. Did the market on Saturday and then came home and dug daylilies. Got three orders dug and started on the 4th. I should have finished it but I just flat ran out of steam. Got up Sunday morning and of course it was raining. We decided to go on to market and take our chances. Took extra clothes in case we got totally wet. Got the tent up in between showers and fortunately by 10:45 it quit and folks did come out and shop. For the weather it was a very good day. Came home, fried some chicken for supper and after supper cleaned up the daylilies to get them ready to ship today. We have a market meeting to attend tonight. They're trying to stonewall our request to have a food trailer at the market to serve hamburgers and other locally grown food items. Time to go lobby in person I guess.

Joyce, sorry to hear about your mother. Watching loved ones and not being able to do anything about their suffering and pain must surely be one of the most stressful things a person can do.

Good morning all.
((((Joyce)))) guess it shows how observant I am. I had to go back and look. I never even saw the oxalis in the picture...lol! Oh mercy...don't say it!
Ok Ric...the creeping jenny protected the oxalis..that's why it lived! Smiles!!
Ok...no depression allowed this time of year Bonnie!! Just cause all it does is rain...geez!
Guess I'll go see what I can get into today...since..of course..it is RAINING!
Grrrrrrrrrrrr.!

Thanks for all your kind words everyone. I have never thought before about how hard it is on the caregiver. I won't make that mistake again. The 3 of us all had a good cry this morning. They were thanking me for being such a cheerful person when what we really want to be is down in the dumps and feeling sorry for ourselves. Mom said that because of me she always tries to be "up", too.

Bertie and I went together and bought a pair of hip-waders to use in the pond. Yesterday was my turn and they worked GREAT...that is until I lost my footing and I went down and all the water went gushing in the top of them! Oh well, least it wasn't cold out.

Bill and I have some errands we have to run today, so since I have a few minutes before I have to get ready, thought I'd drop in and say hi.

Joyce, it is terribly hard. It was hard for me to adjust to having the time back that I spent caring for my mother, and after awhile, it was kinda nice and then I felt this crushing guilt, because I'd do anything to have her back and have to take care of her. It's very hard.

Yes, Celene...I know it's going to be so hard. I told her today that I would celebrate her life when she was gone. She said she's ready to go. She wanted to be well for their anniversary party and prayed so hard for that to be so. They both felt great on that day (the 17th) and have been steadily failing ever since then. She said she's ready to go now but she will miss us, and I said I was ready for her to go as well, cause I just can't stand to see her suffer with so little I can do to make her (them) comfortable.

I'm with Lou and Sue today. I always think 'Go Navy' because of Navy boy but wow! What a great thing to see come up on the TV last night!

{{Joyce}} Later on, you will be so glad of all this extra time you're spending with your parents right now. One of my most precious memories is sitting with my dad and just talking towards the end. It's so hard to deal with but you'll be so glad you did it later on. I know that sounds kinda trite but I do mean it from the bottom of my heart. My dad wasn't ready to go and that it was so hard for me to see him struggle, cry, and beg God not to make him go; I'm glad your mom is at peace about her life and that you know it as well. When he finally passed I was so relieved because I knew he wasn't suffering anymore, physically or mentally.

Robyn and I have spent some quality time w/ Cookie's Parents.
They are wonderful People and we thoroughly enjoyed our times w/ them.
Like my Parents they are sweet tough old birds...lol!

Joyce and I recently found out we have actually known each other for 43 years.
We shared 2 High School musicals together.
Joyce was a HS Junior and Senior... I was a child prodigy sent up to help out while in Elementary School... LOL!

I went to Baker's yesterday. Due to wet weather, not many people have been out to buy plants yet, so they are well stocked. All the heirloom tomatoes were ready to go as well as the rest of the veggies annuals, and perennials. Chris Baker would welcome a DG group and would give 10% off if I give them a list of DG screen names the day before so they can have it at the registers... I just need to know if, and when you guys want to make the trip! The hosta place is now open that is near them also... They are only open a few days a week.

Jules, sure wish I was closer, and I definitely would have you put my name on that list.

It was so pretty here today, got out and worked a bit outside, still too wet to do any planting, but did get some of my winter sown little plants potted up. I have a gazillion of something. The ink faded on my label, and I know that what I sowed I had never had before. May offer these as trades at the RU, but first need to identify them.

Someone on another thread suggested that #2 was Lupine. I know I planted all perennials, and things that I had never had before. Any help would be appreciated.

Did anybody here express a wish for morning glories? I have a gazillion little plants coming up, and here they have become a menace. I will gladly pot some up if that person will step forward. Otherwise, I am destroying the little buggers!

Just got back from Baker's. The 4" begonias are now in clay, and still $6.99, a great deal. I was worried when they had the larger ones for $14.99 that they all would be, but no. Variegated scabiosa, very cool, Tiger Eye sumac that I plan to prune so that it looks like a palm tree, but I don't need to schlep it indoors every fall. Two flats of fancy annuals, some black petunias, and a Kellogg's Breakfast tomato. Oh, an a variegated Buddleia.

I understand! I have a little Toyota Matrix. Not a gas guzzler. I had a little over 1/4 tank left, did a fill up today. Had some points to get money off on Kroger card for fill up. So paid $4.01. Was still $34.50 for a fill up! for a little Toyota that was not empty! Yikes!

Beautiful day today. However, I did not even attempt to be outside, as DGD was coming and I had things I felt I needed to do inside. Did a run to the post office and library, and finished the day by giving Mr. B a bath. He was a mess after all this rain and muddy weather. Of, course he is still pouting!

Janet, I think your DD is going to have to change plans on the wedding flowers. My peonies are starting to open, and will probably be in full bloom by the first of the week. Of course with the rain we are supposed to get tomorrow, it will probably slow them down some. I have another variety that is about 3 weeks behind these. Don't remember the names of either of them.

Maybe there will be a few daylilies blooming by that time. If you decide to go that route, let me know and I will contribute what I can.

DGD wants me to take her to Simpsonville to the flea market in the morning. Haven't been there is a good while. She and her friend were there about 2 months ago, and the friend saw something she wanted, but didn't have the money. Her birthday is next week and DGD is going back to get whatever it was that she wanted.

Celene, sounds like you had a great time at Baker's. I would love to be closer so that I could go, but with the price of gas, I don't think I will be making many trips too far from home now.

I'm limiting my trips, now that my kitchen remodel is not providing me with free gas from Giant Eagle. We'll probably only make the pilgrimage to Athens to Companion Plants and Stewart to Glasshouse Works once rather than our usual 2-3 times, at $60 to fill up the HHR.

I can't imagine what it must cost to fill up a truck or an SUV. I don't know how people do it. Mom likes to keep the grass cut short, despite evidence that longer is better for it. This may be the year she develops a liking for a longer length lawn. We won't be able to mow it as often as she likes.

I just spent $47 to fill up my new Focus - I had to take a double look at it to make sure it wasn't my minivan when I saw the final total on the pump - lol. DH has a full size work van that he filled for $100 the other day - luckily he has a gas card for work - yikes!

Gas is higher in Ohio than most every other state.
THAT's being looked into...

Stopped by tabasco's house today and dropped off some plants... course we picked up some plants too! lol!
Her yard looked LOVELY!
We had a nice chat w/ her and Buzz.
The will try to make the RU if at all possible.

Happy Mothers Day, y'all! And I mean you ALL--whoever has mothered a friend or spouse or child or parent or critter.

And if your mother is alive, tell her how much she means to you. If she's deceased, tell her the same. Go outside and say it out loud and let the breeze take it to her.

I've been off the list for awhile-- trying to clean up all the stuff that got wrecked when my basement flooded. Then last week a good friend mentioned that he was going to Scotland in a few days & could I look up the family genealogy. I got into high gear & found a Scottish great-great-great grandmother who was baptized in Tibbermore parish in 1807. That's in Perthshire. I found a picture of it-- including the church in the distance-- on google. My friend was thrilled. Wonder if they'll go to see it? I also wonder if the UK is having better weather than we have... of course, they could have had one or two sunny days in April & it would have beat us!
Pat

BTW, has anyone heard of this thing called the Falkirk Wheel? It's in Scotland, at a place where there used to be a set of locks. Now they have this solar powered wheel that is unbelievable. Go to this site:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n61KUGDWz2A/
for a basic understanding of how the thing works. Then go to

Well it's 3.99 per gal. here..cheapest...and that's in our town. Ours beats Greenville AND on the border (IN). Whoopie!
Happy Mother's Day everyone!!
Going to son's for a cookout today. Of course he asked me what I wanted to bring...LOL!! KIDS!!
Hope you all have a great day!!

Mother's Day is still hard for me. My niece is upset, she wanted to take me out to my favorite Indian buffet, but her mother threw a fit. Apparently after 25 years she is interested in being the Mom. I told my niece not to make her life hard trying to take me out today, any day is fine. My MIL called to check on me, and said she loves me like a daughter if that is any help, how sweet is that.

And...it turns out that Messy Tessie Punkinhead, Hairy S. Truman, Walden, Pyewacket, Emerson and Candra got me a weeping Cypress that I wanted. For Mother's Day. I suspect they had help ;)

Sue, sorry, didn't mean anything by the little car vs. big truck comment. I used to drive to Columbus every day for work and had a small car for that reason. Glad I do now, cause with my piddly income now, $35 for a fill up is bad enough.

Sue, you have an iPad, don't you? I am not sure what other phones or tech items this is available for, but I downloaded an app called GasBuddy. You plug in your zip code and you can find gas statoon prices in your area. When I filled up a couple weeks ago, I save .05 a gallon by going to one end of Newark rather than the other. Was the same distance to drive, so saved a bit. If you have a big tank, it could make a difference. The app is free.

Celene, are your pets all dogs? They sound interesting , if their names are any clue to their personalities.LOL.

In April, 2006, I painted some slates and took to the round up,. Tabsco and someone else, (forgive me , I can't remember who), traded some $'s for the slates. I used the money to buy a climbing hydrangea. When I got it, it said it took six or seven years to bloom!!! I was a little disheartened, since I have no patience. But, I planted it by one of the poles on the pergola, and dubbed it my "retirement vine". Well, I retired in March, and it is full of buds!!! Can't wait to see it bloom. Thanks again to those who financed this vine.

I hope all you Mothers had a great Mothers Day!

The sun finally came here around 3: 30PM and it warmed up nicely. I hope it is nice again tomorrow. We have had so much rain, that the weeds have won the war already. But, I must continue the battle in order to see the flowers. LOL Lou

LOL don't worry i wasn't worried. Any driving in any car this economy no matter what is a heavy price on our wallets.
my ipad sin't working . i can't get my email nor can i download apps. i need to see if i re ???? what ever that word is , gosh i m so brain dead at moment. Make it like new again ? erase all the stuff.
been fiddling with it for awhile but it just won't accept any new password. even the apple tech's cant figure it out. So i may just send it in and see waht they can do ?
but i will look into that app as soon as i can , sounds like a good one.
off and running digging up astilbe's
sue

My animals all have distinct personalities. Tess is Punkinhead because when she was a neonate, she had this gargantuan pumpkin head, messy because she shredded 24 rolls of toilet paper in about three minutes when she was 10 weeks old or so. Hairy S. Truman was originally Skipper, which I hated, DH named him. Pyewacket is black, and deserves the witchy name. Walden and Emerson, tributes to my literary preferences, and Candra (Walden's twin sister) was supposed to be a foster, I named her after my friend who was hugely pregnant and needed cheering up. Turns out, Candra had her own ideas about where her permanent home should be, lol.

Oh, Celene, thanks for the explanation of the dogs names. I try not to name any until I have been around them long enough to see their personalities. Unfortunately my DGD named Mr. B, his real name is Bruno, and he just isn't a bruno. A jack russell with a big personality, so instead of embarrasing him, and me too, I have shortened it to Mr. B. Sounds much more dignified.

Lou, I am so glad that your hydrangea has finally decided to show some appreciation by blooming for you. I think my sister helped to finance that, so I will tell her about it. She was devastated when the wind broke her slate, and is now enjoying her new one from you. She loves it and gets many compliments on it. I don't know how many people have wanted name and phone number so they could order one! See, you are famous even if you didn't know it.

Sue, hope that your sick ipad gets seen by a doctor soon, and is quickly recovered. Dratted electronics, always something with them.

Today here was beautiful from early morning on. So guess my grandfather's theory about "if it rains on Easter, it will rain seven Sundays in a row" has gone up in smoke! Sure am not unhappy about it though. If the weather holds, I have scads of stuff I can get out and do tomorrow. DH tilled the garden today, so it sounds like I will be planting garden, if the weather is nice. Will have to check the almanac, it will make me feel better, but DH poo poos it, and if he is so inclined will plant what ever he wants, without regard to what the almanac says. I can always say "I told you so", but it doesn't replace the veggies that didn't come up, or didn't do much if they did come up.

Sue, I get Gas Buddy on my PC. Doesn't help when away from the house, but I check before I leave. Alerts come to my e-mail.
Getting place looking a little better. Botrytis hit the tulip foliage hard this year. Don't know how it will effect next years blooms.
Herman

I've had it with weedy, reseedy rose of sharon. I'm digging them out and replacing with a sterile cultivar. I love the plants, I love the hummingbirds they attract, but holy cow...the ten bajillion seedlings is ridiculous.

I've had it with weedy, reseedy rose of sharon. I'm digging them out and replacing with a sterile cultivar. I love the plants, I love the hummingbirds they attract, but holy cow...the ten bajillion seedlings is ridiculous.

I agree, I am so tired of them but it will take me the rest of my life to get rid of them.lol
Pauletta

Rose of Sharon, I now recognize the leafless sticks that are the seedlings which show up in spring and have started pulling them out before they get any bigger.

My immediate big problem are the phlox that have spread all over the garden around my patio, they surround my desirable plants very closely and tower over them. And little ones are popping up on top of the creeping thyme. First mistake was thinking all those volunteers were a good thing, now two or three years later I know better. I already know the next thug I shall be fighting - those coneflowers.

LOL Ric n Bonnie!
Good mornin' to you all.
We actually have SUN here today...wowowww! What a difference that makes in my attitude...lol!
I don't care what the 'ole man' wants to do tomorrow...I am staying home and working in my gardens!! He is talkin' bout an auction...I dont need or want anything..soooooooooooo...he is on his own. Uhhh...and that might be dangerous in itself too...lol. Hope he doesn't buy so much I have to move out! I have nowhere to go!!!
Anyway...it's off to do the grocery thing today..yuk! Hoping I can get done early and back home to the gardens!
Have a great day all!!

Well it's the End of Days for the chosen few who are 'Saved'.
Can't see bankers or lawyers being in that first wave Sue... so you should be OK depositing.
Sorry if any of you ARE bankers or lawyers... tabasco's DH is exempt from this statement... LOL!

holy kaka
i complelty forgot today was the end of the world ??? uhg. i wanted to BBQ steaks . ROFLLL like i can afford meat ! LOL
hmmm still got a few hrs left.
never say never.
welp watching the horse racing.

Well actually the 'End of Days' was at 6PM local time so... I guess they got it wrong again...
oh well good thing I trimmed the hedges.
We also moved all the front porch GH Plants outside to the Front Water Gardens.
(Lost Cyperus papyrus 'KING TUT' so if anyone sees any around...)
Got a pretty good sunburn in the process.
But everything looks Marvelous! lol!

I hadn't heard an actual time for the world to end. I was just wondering if I had gotten left behind, and I was really going to be upset if I came here tomorrow morning, and nobody was here.

I am leaving for Florida in the morning, and will return on Thursday. I have everything ready for the RU, so all I need is one day of rest to get ready to be on the move again. I am not taking my laptop, so will see if any hotels have internet for the guests, but if not, will be out of touch until Thursday night.

I've been working so much in the garden, my hands are killing me! I got an ergonomic hand spade a couple of years ago, that is a huge help---anyone who has CTS or just hand pain from digging, I recommend them highly. We'll have plenty of greens, peas and beans!

I kinda feel sorry for the guy who is the one predicting all the dooms day. I saw him on the news in NY. some people were not kind as they yelled at him. There is no reason to do that. I truly think he honestly believes his words . ?
but i m glad we are all here still.
guess i can break out the apocalypse Oreo 's out
well beautiful day today
but looks like rain all week :( gosh this is crazy
hope to get some things in the garden or at least get the weeds out
Bonnie have a good time in FL.

Hahaa...Joyce...I'm still here!!! LOL...aren't you all glad?????????
My poor lil jeep almost gave up on me yesterday...see the attendance thread.
Guess I am gonna have to break down n buy a new jeep! Wellll..NOT a brand new one...geezzz...can't afford to do that...but new to me. Although...this one should be like new when I get done funneling money into it!! Everything is going on it ...seems like.
I know Bonnie cant see this..but I hope she has a good time for me...in Florida...and for her!
Wish I was going too!
Well...better get movin..and see what can be done about my car. Have a great day everyone!!

We had a quick but severe storm tonight.
I think Ric got most of it , then it came my way and it was not more then 60 seconds . Got kids and dog down stairs. that took longer then the storm LOL
Ric lost power and i think he is having comp trouble due to the storm.
heavy wind damage to some places.
we are in the clear and ok.
Ric and Robyn along with their critters. They are all good.
bbl

First off to any of you w/ Family or Friends in Joplin my heart goes out to you.
Having seen the shots and video it looks like Xenia... and that's not good.
Glad to hear that our Friend Rusty has posted from there. She is fine!!!!

We had a rough storm rumble thru about 7PM tonight.
Well our power went out for about an hour but everything is fine here.
83,000 homes are still w/o power in the area.
NO severe damage! So all is good!

Looks like a close call but it was worse north of us and south of Joyce.
Talked w/ her during the storm and she is fine.

We had a nasty storm blow through here last night between 6:30 and 8:00. SIL got locked in at the Hobby Lobby in Hamilton with sirens blaring. My other SIL on the opposite side of Hamilton got hail. I was in Trenton at scouts with youngest son and luckily, we were in the basement of the church. It was crazy - extreme lightning, thunder, howling winds. Of course, Tom was down in his chair, sound asleep, and missed all the excitement. So glad no serious damage done anywhere. My heart just breaks for all those poor people in Joplin.

For a change, we DID NOT get a severe storm here. Did have a storm...and some wind...but no damage that I can see. No hail...little rain. It did get very black..that was scary.
We had extreme wind all day yesterday. Trees were almost bent double most of the day. I tried to work outside in that...didn't do very well. Hard for me to work in wind like that. Well not just me...even Dave said that.
Saw where Dayton was getting it really bad!
I really feel bad for those folks in Joplin...and yes Ric...it sure does remind one of Xenia. Xenia will never be the same for me..even though it's been rebuilt...just because I remember how it was before. I spent a lot of time there as a teen.
I guess it just goes to show..how possessions are NOT what counts.
Hope you all have a wonderful day out there.
My stomach is not in the best shape today...grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I got the very southern end of that storm. Wow, it was extreme but over in no time. PIL and SIL had crazy hail and were hunkered down in the basement for 30 minutes with wildly howling winds. Lots of trees down all over up here but no serious injuries that I've heard about yet.

Rick, the local greenhouse here has King Tut. I bought a couple for the pond which looks kinda bare after the Koi killed all the plants last year :( Have Dwarf Papyrus for trade at RU. Just haven't had a chance to post on that thread.

We survived the two rounds of severe weather last night. We had a big limb down on the patio this morning . It took out the guttering, but didn't damage the house itself. Very , very lucky. Power just got back on a little bit ago. The news says a twister hit in the north western part of the county, and there are some injures, hopefully all minor. The limb fell on my trade plants for the round up, so some of them may look like they've been thru hell. LOL I don't know how much rain we got, but it is too soggy to get in the garden , that's for sure. Lou

My son living in Bellbrook may very well have had a tornado go through there last night. His home was damaged...windows broken...siding damaged...gazebo shredded..etc. He wasnt hurt...stayed in the bathtub with two cell phones lol. Scary stuff.
I am sooo over this weather this year!!

One of the guys I work w/ just built a new home in Xenia 18 months ago.
The hail there last evening was intense.
3 hail stones barely fit in his hand.
All the metal roof vent covers and gutters were flattened.
Shingles will all need replaced.
Grill was pounded and dented.
Rubbermaid shed shredded.
Pool cover shredded and his garden (which they just finished annual planting) is toast.
All the plants are mush.
Luckily their cars were in the garage... their neighbor's cars had all the glass knocked out and roofs dented.

Sorry to hear of all the storms that happened while I was gone. Got in about 8:00 tonight, and had to spend at least 1/2 hour getting kissed by Mr. B. He was so happy to see me, and has taken every step that I have taken, he is afraid I am leaving again. Poor little guy.

Weather was glorious in Florida. High 80's and low 90's every day, not a drop of rain, and they need some too. Only got about 3 total hours in the sun, one day an hour at the hotel pool, and 2 hours at Sanibel Island one day. The rest of the time was spent with real estate agents, and looking at rental properties. DTS rented a place in Englewood, which is between Sarasota and Ft Meyers. A quiet little community, and I think she will like it there. I will probably go down for a month in Jan, or Feb.

Will finish getting all the plants together tomorrow for the RU. Looking forward to seeing everybody.

Glad you had a good time Bonnie!
Bellbrook...where my son lives...did have an F-0 tornado confirmed. That's a big enough one for me!!
Yes...guess Xenia got pounded too Ric. Weather liars are saying our weather pattern is changing this next week...for the better! Drier weather...hotter...YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

That's one good looking group of generous people in that picture, Ric!

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful day and all the nice goodies I brought back home with me. It was so good to meet everyone I only knew by name, the food was great and the weather was so wonderful, and I can't wait to do it all again!
Thanks to everyone who made this happen as well.

Ric,
Kudos on the picture and the great turnout!
If you want to venture over to the west side, both White Oak and Robben's (in Delhi) have King Tut. White Oak also has Baby Tut. I expect that Rahn's & maybe Mattfelds also have them. Haven't been to Berns yet this year, but they had both Baby and King varieties last year.

I finally figured out what to plant in my epiphyllums and similar, to jazz them up when they're not blooming...those tall fancy Impatiens! They're a little leggy on their own, but interplanted, they're quite nice and keep up the tropical look of the epis. Fancy species impatiens FTW!! (small things make me happy)

Oh, I'm so sorry, Sue. Sometimes in a litter, there's a poor doer or a kitty with something wrong that you wouldn't know without a horde of expensive diagnostics that likely wouldn't have revealed anything good anyway. *hugs* You gave him excellent care, for one reason or another he wasn't strong enough to pull through.

The little runt one was Stormy, I had a feeling he would not make it.
I was worried about bringing him to the RU., but no one to kitty sit :(
made dinner... kids were not hungry ...
we may need pie ! at this point.
thanks Celene for all your help. :)
well time to give kitty a burial. savannah wrote him a letter.